Marion Flint, a retired doctor, has lived on a remote stretch of wild New Zealand beach, a landscape conducive both to her solitary lifestyle and her deep denial of a traumatically painful past. Marion faces her memories after a chance encounter with a boy opens her heart to love once again. As she spends more time with Mika, an a child on the autistic spectrum, who visits most Thursdays, she remembers more of her heinous past. One Thursday she finds him floating in the ocean, after saving his life, she finds his frail body covered in horrific bruises. Marion talks to his grandmother who at first does not want to let the boy go because then she would loose the child support money. When Marion agrees to take the boy but let Grandma keep the support money, then the grandma agrees to relinquish the boy. When the boy is actually living with Marion more memories cascade into her being.
Olsson is a tremendous writer. She says so much in so few words. You will love this book.